Cable & Wireless' (C&W) new CEO Gregory Jordan has marked the start of his era with the construction of a state-of-the-art data centre in Bermuda.

The new data centre in Devonshire brings C&W's number of data centres on the Island to three and Mr. Jordan reckons it has really set the standard for telecommunications in Bermuda and put the country on the map.

He has also revealed his visions for the future, which include making the company a bigger player on the world stage.

The $10 million facility, which came about as a result of demand from existing customers and registers, manages and stores information, lies 114 feet above sea level with a concrete wall and boasts 104 racks for storing information, according to Mr. Jordan. It also runs for 55 hours on back-up diesel-powered generators.

"One of the things that we have been able to do is make a significant investment in part of the world where technology has made a big difference," he said.

"When you move from bricks and mortar to the online environment it is a fairly complex process to manage that new application and environment.

"This is a significant investment for the Island worth many millions of dollars and it shows we are committed to Bermuda."

He stressed the importance of having a data centre which will always be up and running to serve local and international businesses across Bermuda.

"We have this fundamentally brilliant data centre which is storm proof and bomb proof and if a hurricane came it is probably the only place on the Island that would not be affected at all," he said.

The project, which was six months in the planning, was signed off and implemented in April and goes live in the next 30 days, said Mr. Jordan, who sees good opportunities ahead in the Bermuda market.

"The more money we can attract to Bermuda, the more we can bring into the system and the better it is," he said.

"I think it is the moving together of many different elements - it is the geographical position that we hold - the reinsurance business here is massive, we have got meet its needs and we have got to meet the government's needs, so it is a win-win situation all round."

Mr. Jordan, who has 20 years experience in the industry, is well suited to the role, having worked for British Telecom in various roles for 12 years, a dot com company for a year and as commercial director, operations director and wholesale director for C&W in the Channel Islands.

"I am very pleased to have been appointed to the CEO post at Cable & Wireless in Bermuda - it has been a lifetime goal of mine," he said.

"In my role I manage a business in a changing environment with customers with changing requirements.

"I think what has happened with Cable & Wireless in Bermuda is all to do with our regulatory position and the opportunity to do more with the liberalisation of the regulatory environment is one of the reasons I have been appointed to the role.

"I think with the example and standard that we have set with the data centre there is lots of opportunity in Bermuda as it becomes a recognised hub for data centres.

"We are sowing the seeds in the market place and our competition are stepping up, and I hope they do well, which all augers well for the future of Bermuda."